Coffee Cups
by imfallingforyoureyes102
Summary: Tobias never thought he had a type - and he didn't. He didn't prefer blonde hair over red, he didn't like petite over average, he certainly could care less in terms of eyes. But he liked her blonde hair, and her small frame, and he definitely had a thing for the way her blue eyes flashed grey every time he approached her. Yeah, he didn't have a type, but he definitely had a crush.
1. Chapter 1

He never thought he had a type – and he didn't. He didn't prefer blonde hair over red hair, he didn't like petite over average, hell, he had no intention whatsoever to scout out every blue eyed girl in the country over the others.

But he liked _her_ blonde hair, and _her_ small frame, and he definitely had a thing for the way her blue eyes flashed grey every time he approached her at the cash register, rattling off a load of nonsense to whomever was on the phone with him this time, paying little to no attention to the way she would throw him a glare as he ordered and paid without a breath in between.

Yeah, he didn't have a type, but he definitely had a crush.

And it's silly, he thinks, to have something as juvenile as a crush on a girl who could care less about him, but it's still something he can't help every day, when he sees the top of her uniform cap moving around the counter.

He can't help but avoid her glance every time she takes his order – can't help the way he talks in short, clipped sentences and waves off her recited offer of a "would you like a scone with that?" It's enough to agitate anyone, but the girl – Tris, he learns from the small nametag – takes it in stride without even batting an eyelash.

She can't help scowling a little every time she sees the top of his dark hair and brooding face standing amidst the crowed of the morning workers in need of their coffee. It's a bit unfair, she thinks, that he can see so easily over the tops of everyone's head while she could stand on a stool and still have luck worth shit. She knows she shouldn't be so agitated over his lack of conversational skills – nearly everyone in the damn café couldn't spend two seconds off the phone let alone give her a friendly hello. Something about him though – maybe the sharp jawline or the eyes she couldn't quite place between blue or black – screams confidence and arrogance – the kind of confidence she stayed away from in high school because it was followed along by snarky popularity and hatred filled comments. It's not that she knows he's a jerk, she just thinks he is, and she makes it known every time she writes a different name on his cup everyday just to spite him. She doesn't think he ever notices though, but she continues to do so nonetheless.

He notices. He always does. And despite whatever feeling Tris wants him to feel when he sees the messy "Douchedick" or "Crumbum" scrawled across the cup, he only feels a smile flash across face when he takes a sip under the summer sun.

As much as he hates his job – as much as he hates the fact that he works under his emotionally and physically abusive father – he can't help but smile every time he walks into his office, because what greets him there is always much more pleasant that what lies behind Marcus Eaton's door. Tobias knows that Zeke thinks he's crazy to keep every coffee cup that Tris has written on set up along the shelves of his office like trophies, but he does it anyway because the amount of wit in each insulting name has only grown in intensity, and it make Tobias somewhat proud.

He never talks to her – he doesn't have the nerve – but eventually the rude business calls he uses as an excuse not to talk to her are held until after their encounters, and he sure as hell loves the blush that creeps across her cheeks the first time she realizes he's actually paying attention to her writing on the cup. She bites her lip then, slowly and casually setting the cup down and reaching for another.

"Keep it. It fits."

It's the first words Tobias ever really speaks to her, besides his normal order, and though she knew his voice was deep, she can't help shivering when she hears it. She stares hesitantly between him and the cup with the elegant "NAME" scrawled across it and Tobias holds back a smile – a real one – as she hands him the drink.

"It's Tobias, by the way. For next time."

 **CCPAGEBREAKCCPAGEBREAK**

The cups aren't quite that interesting after that – and Tobias is a little relieved. He had no clue where he would start placing the cups after the last shelf was filled and didn't have it in him to throw any away just yet.

Tobias is still too much of a coward to talk up a storm with her, but it's enough of a change to actually know his name that makes Tris a little warmer towards him. Yeah, she still thinks he's a little too full of himself, but the banter that the two pick up in replacement of the cups is enough to quell the animosity.

He thinks it's fair to call her names now that she's had her fill. She thinks it's unfair that he uses her height as a basis for all of his jokes.

He always likes to tell her how much his day improves just seeing her face even if he has to stoop down three feet to find it – how much her "beautiful frown" is brighter than the sun. She can't wipe the frown off of her face when he doesn't show up one day.

She knows it's ridiculous – he's just a customer and she's a sleep deprived college student looking to make a few extra bucks with this barista job. But it still stings a bit to think about him flirting with another girl in some other coffee shop a few doors down.

By the third day, Tris is pissed – both at herself for thinking he could be something to her and at _him_ (and yes, he had fallen back down the ladder to insults again) – too pissed to see that he's standing in front of her again, but in a hoodie and sweats and a whole lot of black and blue on his face.

She's surprised when she hears him, and even more so when she sees him, and soon enough hot coffee is on the both of them and Tobias can't help but crack a smile even though the movements in his face stings at his eyes.

She's too shocked to say anything and her eyes are wide and grey as they stare at him. And, because he often connects quietness with anger due to his malicious upbringing, his smile falters as he begins to mutter apology after apology. It's Tobias's move to leave that pulls Tris out of her frozen state, and because Tobias is so wrapped up in thought about how much his own father has fucked up his life he doesn't realize it's a small and delicate hand reaching for him rather than a tough one gripping a belt and the small flinch that overcomes him makes Tris's heart crack right down the middle.

It should be awkward because they really don't know each other _that_ well and the only conversations they'd ever really exchanged were sarcastic and witty ones – the kind that skip over the dark sides of anything. But that doesn't stop Tris from taking her break a full three hours early and pulling Tobias into a quiet booth – doesn't stop her from placing a fresh, hot cup of coffee in front of him with the words "Punching Bag" written lightly across the front.

It's then the two really start to talk – then when Tobias finally admits, at least to himself, that this thing he feels for her is far more than a crush. It's also then when Tris realizes that _she'd_ been the jerk the whole time.

They talk for a good two hours, and Tris would have been fired if it weren't for her friend Christina who somehow had managed to keep the entire shop at bay while still flashing thumbs up over at Tris every ten minutes or so.

He learns that she's studying medicine (perfect, really, that she works it a coffee shop seeing as she needs the caffeine to stay awake) and that she has a thing for birds and ferris wheels. She learns that he hates heights and small spaces, and nearly got a tattoo of a piece of chocolate cake when he was drunk before his friend stepped in.

She realizes his eyes are actually blue – so blue they look almost black. He realizes her hair isn't actually all that blonde, but a mixture of it and brown, and that her small stature is deceiving of her strength. He likes her eyes the most, but can't help from glancing down at her lips every couple of seconds because the way they get all red when she bites them is enough to drive any sane person wild.

Tris smirks a little when she realizes this – her mouth widening in a smile when she sees that he has begun mimicking her; his bottom lip is trapped between his teeth and she finally understands why people think the act is so endearing.

Tobias skips over the reason as to why his face is filled with bruises and scratches. Tris respects that, but her insides twist with anger whenever his fingers reach up to brush at one of them. Tris talks about her brother and his inabilities to do anything athletic; Tobias talks about his mother – about how she used to bake cookies and do arts and crafts with him even when he knew she wasn't up for it.

They both stop talking then – coffee cups empty – as Tobias realizes what he has said and Tris recognizes the abuse he had accidently implied. That doesn't stop her from slipping her phone number across the table to him as she gets up to go back to work, or him from calling her one night when he finds a bird nest outside his window and can't help but think of her.

She's there faster than she would like to admit, and it's a beaming Tobias that answers the door. The bruises are gone, but it's still an untouched topic that's been lingering around them for some time. But after a few drinks and watching the bird's nest, it's Tobias and Tris sat on the couch in the abnormally clean and organized room in a tangle of limbs as Tris tries to wrestle the remote out of Tobias's hands – apparently having to watch another episode of "Untold Stories of the E.R." was "not at all beneficial to my studies, Tobias, thank you very much."

Tris doesn't understand how she ends up on his lap, nor how the remote ends up on the floor. Tobias does, but he's not exactly one to complain about the glorious things in life, and he holds her gently as her giggling subsides and she tries to look anywhere but him. He, above anyone, understands the need for boundaries and sits quiet and still, letting Tris make all the choices.

Her eyes reach his, and all she can see is her reflection in his now black eyes – her eyes are pure grey, and Tobias thinks he can just stare at them all day and just be fine with that.

But when her lips meet his, soft and tentative, it's all he can do to not pull her face tight to his. And he's glad he doesn't, because within seconds it's her delicate hands curling around his neck and into his hair and his own running up and down her back and brushing against her jaw. He's just as new at this as she is, but Tris doesn't know that, and something along the feelings of inadequacy causes her to break the kiss. She's panting hard and he's still got his eyes closed and all she can see are his slightly swollen lips and the flush now running up his cheeks and she can't help but smile a little to herself when he lets out a small groan in protest. Her thumb runs against his lips as a small "I've never done that before" leaves her lips and her eyes widen as she realizes how pathetic she probably sounds. Tobias's eyes flash open as he feels her head drop into his chest and he has to pry her face back up to meet his. His soft "This is all new to me too," is said with a small laugh and even though Tris is certain that someone as good looking as him hasn't had his fair share of one-night stands, something about the way his hands stay gentle on her hips and the way he doesn't look anywhere but her eyes makes her believe that he's only had a few kisses here and there too.

They don't do anything but kiss until Tobias has to physically remove Tris from his lap because of certain matters and Tris laughingly suggests a walk for him to "cool off." It takes them both a few seconds to find something fit to wear for the night because where Tris first arrived with only a chilly wind biting at her back, the first snow of the year was just starting in Chicago.

Tobias thinks Tris looks ravishing in his old sweatshirt from college – he knows it's primal and caveman-y to think his name plastered on Tris's back is so attractive but, then again, he never got to experience this in high school or college and he definitely wasn't going to give up the chance now.

They walk past the coffee shop – it's closed now – and Tris pulls him by the arm and asks him where he works. There's a small falter of a smile before Tobias points shyly ahead up the avenue and straight at the gigantic building towering over the rest of the buildings, the name "Eaton Enterprises" set boldly into the stone. Tris stops walking instantly as she connects the Eaton on the building and the Eaton grasping her hand with each other and finally – _finally_ all the pompous calls and mutterings about this and that in the coffee line all make sense now.

And, since his name is plastered on the building, Tris thinks it's a reasonable request to see exactly where he works. After all, he must have the key to his own kingdom.

Tobias doesn't have the heart to tell her that it isn't exactly _his_ kingdom and that he actually hates it there because of his father, so they start walking through the already building snow towards the place he has come to resent.

It isn't until he's turning the doorknob to his office that he remembers his little hoarding problem, but it's already a little too late because the key fit and the door had unlocked. He tries to stall Tris, asking her if she wants any coffee or orange juice – "I'm sure there's some cake in the kitchen," – but Tris just rolls her eyes and strolls right past him as Tobias stands stone still and waits for a reaction.

He doesn't hear one, and he's a bit worried when he walks in. The worry leaves him though, almost instantly, when he finds Tris on the ground shaking so hard with laughter that he is actually concerned about her hitting her head. She doesn't talk for a couple of minutes – can't really, through the snorts and giggles – and when she finally does her face is flushed with laughter and Tobias's with embarrassment.

It fades to a slight fondness, though, as Tris goes around the room, reading each cup.

"I remember this one," she says staring at Tobias's favorite and most obscene cup. "You were being a right dick that day."

"I was on the phone," Tobias tries to counter, but he remembers specifically that he had been trying to spite her, talking about how slow the service was and how disgusting the coffee usually tasted and asking the person on the phone (there really never was one that day) why he even kept going there.

"I was trying to hint that I only came there for you," he laughs at her scowl.

"Yeah, you were great at showing it."

 **CCPAGEBREAKCCPAGEBREAK**

It's almost Thanksgiving when Tobias enters the coffee shop for his usual fix and sees Christina behind the counter. He's about to cut everyone in line just to find out where Tris was – she was always there – when he feels someone knock into his side.

It's Tris, and she's mumbling apologies over and over before she realizes it's him and Tobias frowns at the way her eyes and nose are red and the way her voice sounds raspy. He doesn't hesitate in pulling her into a hug after his "what's wrong" causes Tris's eyes to water up again – doesn't hesitate in pulling her over to the same quiet booth like she once did with him and grabbing a cup of coffee from Christina. He places it down in front of her gently, and she snorts when she sees the words "Cry Baby" scrawled across the front.

It's then he learns about the dick in Tris's classes – Peter.

It's also then that he realizes he loves her – right there, in the little booth by the window, with her red, splotchy face and red rimmed eyes.

 **CCPAGEBREAKCCPAGEBREAK**

He doesn't tell her, though, can't really. It's always on the tip of his tongue and every time he's about to say it, all he can think about are all the pathetic and useless names his father used to call him as a child.

Tris falls in love with him a few weeks before Christmas as they walk past the park. A small soccer ball had made its way into their path and somehow the two of them had found themselves wrapped up in a soccer match with a bunch of eight year olds. It's when one of the boys falls down and scrapes his knee that Tris knows it, because the way Tobias scoops him up and makes him laugh and laugh and laugh before his mother cleans him up shows just how selfless and kind he was, even when he didn't think so himself.

Unlike Tobias, she's always had a better way with words, and when he walks into the coffee shop Monday morning, he's almost too happy that Tris had greeted him at the door to look down at the cup she was pressing into his hands. The way she kept biting her lips and glancing down at it, though, made Tobias do the same, and the words scrawled across the side were by far the best she had ever come up with.

"I love you."

Within seconds, he can feel his heart slamming in his chest, and he knows he must really look pathetic with his wet eyes and choked up voice as he tells her he loves her too, but the last time someone had told him that they loved him – that he was loved – was when he was six years old and helping his mother wrap up her bruises and cuts.

Tobias doesn't go into work that day – the last thing he wants is to see his father – and he sits around in the small café until Tris finishes her shift. She has twenty minutes before class, but neither could care less and they spent the twenty minutes walking around in the on and off snow, pointing out the few birds that had decided to stick it out for the winter.

 **CCPAGEBREAKCCPAGEBREAK**

By the time Tris's exams rolls around in the spring – her graduation looming around the corner – Tobias has spent more hours cooped up in the office and Tris has quit her job in the coffee shop. She needed more time to study, and he needed more time in the office to pacify his father, and by the time either got to see each other at the end of the day, both were so exhausted all they could do was fall asleep tangled up in each other's arms.

It's for that reason that they are a bit confused when they both get home at a sane hour – Tris from the library, Tobias from the office – and both a bit at a loss at what to do with their free time. It's a split second of confusion, though, because in the next second Tris is pressed up against the wall with Tobias's hands gripping at her hips and for a few minutes neither of them dares to breathe as he kisses every inch of skin he can reach. They've done enough of this to know when to stop before it goes too far, but for some reason Tris can't stop grabbing at Tobias's hair and doesn't protest one bit when he picks her up and presses her further into the wall, her legs wrapping around his strong torso. And Tobias can't help but groan – when she whimpers like that – as he rolls his hips against hers. He can't help but feel a bit lightheaded when she grabs at his belt buckle and looks up at him through her eyelashes.

He carries her, then, to his room – their room, really. Tobias doesn't know the last time she'd been in her dorm, and he could care less because right now, all he could think about was the girl beneath him. He continues to kiss her – hesitantly now, because they have never gone this far – and she encourages him along with every small whimper and breathless whisper.

He stops when he reaches her face, and her eyes flash open. She's always been self-conscious about her body – about her chest and her size – but where she's always seen imperfection, he's seen beauty beyond anything.

Tobias is panting and Tris's chest is heaving, and when her fingers claw at his belt buckle once again he doesn't ignore it.

"Tris, are you sure - ,"

He laughs as his question is cut off by Tris's lips.

 **CCPAGEBREAKCCPAGEBREAK**

Tobias's hands can't stop shaking, and he's a little worried at the fact that _he_ was more panicked than Tris at her own graduation. She thinks it's funny, that he can't stop fidgeting. He thinks she has the easy part in the day's activities – he was the one who had to meet her parents.

True to Tris's word, they arrive a bit late – late enough, in fact, for Tris to already be seated and for him to have to meet them alone. He would berate Tris for this, but for some odd reason, he has a feeling that she did this on purpose – probably to get back at him for all the comments about her height he had first made.

He speaks to her father first, and because he's always had a problem with male authority figures, he doesn't know whether he's doing anything right. His father had always taught him to look people in the eyes and speak with confidence to them. He had also taught Tobias that that same confidence was what would get him a belt lashing and a couple days in the upstairs closet.

He figures that Tris had told her parents some of this, because her father approaches him kindly and her mother greets him with a hug. Her brother is a different story – he isn't quite sure what he thinks of him at first, but after spending the length of the graduation ceremony sitting next to him, Tobias decides that Caleb's extensive knowledge on the reasoning behind the design of the graduation attire wasn't all that bad.

All his nerves are gone, though, when he sees her striding across the stage, and he can't help the widest smile he's ever smiled that spreads across his face as he watches Tris accept her diploma – can't help calling out when everyone applauds. It's a good think he doesn't see Tris's parents watching their interaction with a similar smile, or he would have been redder than Tris when she found out Tobias had a thing for her.

After the ceremony, they all grab a cup of coffee – Tobias and Tris trying their best not to crack up when, for the first time in a long time, their actual names appeared on the cups.

 **CCPAGEBREAKCCPAGEBREAK**

It's Christmastime again, and Tobias finally gets to see where Tris grew up. He's never really talked about his home before willingly – the only time they ever really talk about it is when he wakes up in the middle of the night panting and sweating with flashes of his childhood playing back in his mind. Tris doesn't mind. She knows he'll tell her when he's ready. Tobias is grateful for that, because sometimes he doesn't think he'll ever be ready.

He's seated in the living room, and Tobias has a smile on his face as he watches Tris's little niece pin ornaments on the Christmas tree. His smile grows even wider when she – Becca – comes up to him and asks him to play. Tris is in the kitchen with her mother and Caleb's wife, Susan. Caleb had run to the store to grab some playing cards, and Tris's father was sat on the other couch watching the two race small cars up and down the floor.

It's only when Becca falls asleep halfway through one of their races that Tobias looks up and sees him watching them – only then when he realizes why he had been feeling so nervous in the first place.

He picks Tris's niece up and sets her on the couch, covering her with the nearest blanket before turning to Tris's father.

"Sir - ,"

"Andrew. I told you to call me Andrew, Tobias."

"Andrew, I, uh, I wanted to ask you something. Something important."

Tris walks in the room then, and Tobias almost swears in surprise because Tris has always had impeccable timing.

"Dinner's ready."

She stands there, smiling, waiting for the two men to get up, and Tobias knows it's a lost cause to try anything now.

Tris turns to leave, and Tobias watches Andrew scoop his granddaughter up.

"Tobias?"

"Hhmm."

"Yes. You have my permission. Yes."

 **CCPAGEBREAKCCPAGEBREAK**

It takes a lot of convincing to get Tris to go on a walk after dinner – she's full, he's full, and the snow outside just wasn't as endearing as the fireplace in the living room. But when Tobias mentions coffee she throws out a "why the hell not," and they both find that their "walk" is actually a sprint to the café because of the blizzard like snow swirling around them.

Tobias keeps his left hand in his pocket, scared that if he didn't he'd ruin everything, and Tris is almost bouncing up and down in excitement when she realizes that they had peppermint flavored everything. They grab a drink for everyone because, as Tris had so eloquently repeated, "why the hell not," and the walk back is much easier now that the snowflakes had reduced quite considerably from the ping pong sized balls to small wisps.

They're soon all seated in the living room watching a Christmas movie– Caleb, Susan, and Becca taking up one couch, Tris's parents on the other. Tobias doesn't mind that they've been given the floor, because here he has enough room to pull Tris close enough so that her back is against his chest as he sits propped against the couch.

His arms are encircled around her waist, his chin propped on her head, and he pays more attention to playing with her finger that he does the movie.

She's just finishing her coffee as she looks down, watching Tobias's fingers intertwine with hers. It must be the flicker from the screen, or the way the light shifts, because all of a sudden she's all too aware of what's written on her cup – all too aware of what his fingers are doing.

And, as much as she prides herself for being fairly composed, she can't help but start crying _at_ _least a little._

Because, as she had twisted the cup to see the writing, Tobias had slipped a ring on her left hand.

"I know this is probably the most cliché way to do this," she could feel him whispering in her ear as she tried not to fully burst into tears. "But it was you who started it."

Tobias can't get out one-tenth of his speech before Tris is turned around and kissing him – probably way harder than she should have been with her parents right behind them. But he doesn't care, because all he can hear is her mumbled yes over and over again.

Everyone in the room had lost interest in the movie, and it wasn't until the two had stopped kissing that Tris picked up the empty coffee cup and brushed her thumb over the writing scrawled across it.

" _Marry me,"_ it said.

Tris reached across to the coffee table and snatched the pen on it before grabbing Tobias's own cup.

"I just figured that since I started it," Tris whispers into Tobias ear, "I should end it,"

Tobias can't help but let out a laugh as he glances down at the coffee cup.

" _Yes_."


	2. Chapter 2

**Hi! So yeah, this was supposed to be a oneshot, but I guess it's gonna be a threeshot? It's not going to become a full blown story, but I do like this little universe I've set them in so I'm just going to roll with it. I will be trying to update My Little Soldier in the near future, I promise (I know, I've been avoiding it), but please be patient. Thank you so much to all of you for being awesome people, I love you so much.**

 **Also, please go and check out "Two Idiots and a Baby!" I just recently updated that!**

 **PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE REVIEW, EVEN IF IT'S SOMETHING SMALL. It's the best thing in the world to get a notification with a review. Thank you. You guys rock!**

 **Disclaimer: When Zeke starts taking adulthood seriously, I'll start owning Divergent. So, naturally, never.**

"I don't want it."

She bats the cup away from her as she rolls out of the bed, her breath held so tightly Tobias thinks she'll pass out.

She looks up at his stunned face, at the way his eyes stand wide and curious, and she gives him a small frown. He misreads it, as usual, and slowly walks towards her, cup of coffee snatched firmly in his grip.

"Are you mad at me - ,"

Tris doesn't care about his feelings as she backs away from him as quickly as she can, her back hitting the wall as she stares at her confused husband.

"Tris, what the hell?"

She smiles at that, mostly because somewhere in his confusion Tobias puts the steaming mug of coffee down and he crosses his arms firmly across his torso as he stares just as piercingly at his wife as she is at him.

"God, Tobias," she laughs, "I'm not mad."

She watches as his head tilts to the side almost comically, and his hands fly up to gesture at her pressed up position against the cool wall.

"Why did you just plaster yourself to our house then? I mean, yeah, you look great up there. Best piece of art up there I've ever seen," He gives an approving nod, silently letting out his held breath as he realizes him and Tris are just _fine,_ she was just being, well, weird. It's a fine line Tobias always cautiously treads, though, because where Tris was brought up in a home so loving and warm it sometimes gave Tobias a toothache, he grew up knowing the hot sting of a disapproving hand and the harsh words of an ashamed father and he always worried he would one day wake up and see Marcus's blank eyes staring back at him through the mirror.

It's one reason Tris always tells him how much she loves his eyes – how warm she thinks they are and how fucking hot they are when they eye her the way they were now. Never mind the confusion in them.

"I just really want to take a shower."

Her response is a complete lie and they both know it, but Tobias lets it go because if he's learned one thing about Tris, it was that she was allowed to be as weird and as goofy as she wanted in response to his stoic sense of emotionlessness she always said he expressed out in public.

He just shakes his head as he picks up the small coffee mug on the bedside table.

"You might want to drink this before it goes cold - ," Tobias starts, turning around. His words are cut off by the slamming of the bathroom door, though, and he just shrugs as he brings the warm liquid to his lips, inhaling the intoxicating fumes with a content sigh. "More for me, then."

 _ **CoffeeCupsCoffeeCupsCoffeeCupsCoffeeCupsCoffeeCupsCoffeeCupsCoffeeCupsCoffeeCupsCoffeeCups**_

Tobias trudges through the fallen leaves as he makes his way to the gigantic, looming building in the distance. He doesn't miss the loud and tall "Eaton Enterprise" slewed gracefully across the top of the building, nor the way the cold bites at his fingers and the tips of his ears. Despite his desperate desire for the warmth of the indoors, he can't fully understand how people despise the cold weather. He liked snow – hell, he fucking loved it. Tris says he must like it so much because he never really got to enjoy it as a child, but she loves it just as much as him and he can't help but grin widely at the swirling red and orange leaves dancing in the wind.

As morbid as it was, their falling was just another step closer to the bucketfuls of snow that completely swamped Chicago during the winter months, and Tobias was so ready to see the ground covered only in the slick white of snow.

He passes the small coffee shop where he first met Tris, and his body almost instinctively turns towards the double doors. He stops himself though, with the ghost of a small smile on his lips, as he remembers that she no longer works there – that she is far too busy at the hospital as a resident to even consider making the trek down to this coffee shop.

He doesn't go inside, but he stops just outside of it for a few seconds as he stares into the cozy café, watching the line grow to where it was almost spilling outside into the cold air.

Tobias shoves his gloveless hands further into his pockets as he picks up his pace and walks faster towards his office, suddenly struck out of his reminiscing daze and reminded of the reality he was facing at home.

Zeke, Tobias's best friend and one of his fellow workers – Tobias's never really liked being called the boss despite the fact that his name was printed nearly everywhere – can't even get out his usual 'good morning' before he's being pulled into Tobias's office.

"Yo man, what's up."

His jovial smile is so childish Tobias can't help but laugh as his friend brushes a few stray leaves off of his friend's shoulder. Tris had taken to calling Zeke Tobias's work husband, and though he would never admit it, the way the two acted around each other made Tris's description almost eerily accurate.

"It's Tris."

"Aw, wifey problems. I hear ya. Shauna won't stop going on and on about how I need to buy Ellie more diapers - ,"

"You probably should man," Tobias laughs, grinning incredulously at his best friend. "Ells isn't just gonna magically become potty trained, and I'm pretty sure eight months is a bit too young for that anyway."

Tobias's grin widens as Zeke mumbles something along the lines of "you're right," and he folds his arms across his body as he leans against his desk.

"She's been going on about you, too, you know," Zeke says. "'Unca Fo' this, 'Unca Fo' that. I swear man, sometimes she forgets she has a dad."

Tobias snorts at his goddaughter's antics, and smiles even wider when he realizes just how much happiness had been brought into his life in the past few years – he had met Tris, gained a whole new family, started mending his relationship with his mother, and had even somehow ended up with a goddaughter in the mix. He frowns, though, when he realizes that good streaks weren't even his thing, and that somehow this luck was bound to end.

"So, Tris. What's up." Zeke looks up at his friend with a small smile.

"She didn't want coffee this morning."

Tobias doesn't realize exactly how stupid of an issue his problem sounded like until he had said it aloud and the idiocy of it was ringing around in the ears of his best friend.

"Woah, man. Might as well get those divorce papers ready." Zeke snickers at his own joke as Tobias playfully waves him off.

"No, no, it's not just that. She was being, I don't know…," Tobias trails of as he looks up at Zeke. "Weird? I guess."

"What do you mean by weird?"

Tobias thinks about how to say it, but the more he thinks about how Tris had nearly sprinted to take a shower before even having a sip of her beloved coffee, the more he realized he would sound even more ridiculous if he stated this as a problem.

"You know what, never mind."

"Never mind?"

"Yeah, yeah. I'm just being crazy. Never mind. It's all good."

Zeke gives his friend a small frown before heading towards the door. "Alright then." He gives Tobias a small nod before showing himself out, and Tobias slumps himself behind the grand wooden desk he once had littered with coffee cups, dropping his head into his hands.

 _This is going to be a long day._

 _ **CoffeeCupsCoffeeCupsCoffeeCupsCoffeeCupsCoffeeCupsCoffeeCupsCoffeeCupsCoffeeCupsCoffeeCups**_

Tobias grabs two cups of coffee on the way home, something he had done since – well since forever. The only difference he noted was the fact that instead of having one hand outside in the bitter cold of November gripping at his coffee, he now has two. Well, _had_ two. It seemed everyone was in a hurry today, because Tobias found himself swearing when a passerby managed to knock into him and spill some of the steaming hot liquid down his front. Even in this cold he hated the searing burn that trickled down his chest.

It's not until he's back home that he remembers Tris's sudden refusal for coffee, and he sets the two cups – one more slightly empty than the other - down gently before heading quietly to the living room where he finds Tris curled up on the couch, fast asleep.

He lets out a small sigh as he drops down next to her, lying down on the cushions, and he pulls her onto him and welcomes her body heat far more than he would a blanket. He used to think it was scary, how Tris could sleep through nearly anything – any noise, any movement, and shake – but at times like these, he loved that he didn't have to walk on glass around her, that he could just pull her onto him without having to worry about waking her.

Apparently, though, smells were a different thing.

"You smell like coffee," she mumbles against his chest, moving her face to a different side to get away from the smell.

Tobias doesn't think much of it, too tired and too warm to offer anything but a small "Mhmm."

Tris keeps moving, though, until eventually she's lifting herself up and covering her nose.

Tobias doesn't take it personally – heck, he's more interested in the fact that he's now cold without his wife on top of him, and his eyes flash open to see Tris sitting at the other end of the couch taking slow, deep breaths.

He props himself up and makes to move towards her when Tris hold up one of her hands, the other still clamped firmly over her nose.

"Change your shirt, Tobias."

He rolls his eyes as he rips of the shirt, wiggling his eyebrows when he sees Tris scan his torso. Some things, he thinks, never do change.

"Okay, am I good now? Can you come back?" Tobias frowns as Tris slowly takes her hand away from her nose and takes a tentative sniff. His frown deepens even further when it rushes quickly back to her nose.

"I still smell it."

"Smell what, Tris?"

"Coffee, I smell coffee."

"Yeah, that's because there's some in the kitchen. I thought you might want some."

Tris's voice is small when she answers him, but it's defiant nonetheless. "Could you throw it out? Please?"

Tobias doesn't really think he hears her right, especially with her hand muffling her voice, because the Tris he knows would think throwing perfectly good coffee out was just about the worst thing in the world.

But when she repeats her question, it's a dumbstruck and nodding Tobias that answers.

When he comes back, Tris is back to normal, waiting for him to settle back into the couch. Tobias is colder than cold now, and despite Tris's protests, grabs a shirt from their room before climbing back onto the couch.

His hand pressed against Tris's forehead is the first thing that happens, and it's Tris's turn to roll her eyes at her husband.

"Tobias?"

"Hmm?"

"What are you doing?"

"Checking for a fever."

"Why?"

"Because, love, the last time I checked, coffee was your best friend and not something you just tossed in the trash."

Tris drops her head into Tobias's shoulder, a groan ripping out from her small frame.

"Can we just stop talking about coffee please?"

"Why? What's wrong with coffee?"

"Tobias, please."

"You love coffee."

"Tobias, just stop -,"

"Coffee."

He knows he's being immature, but if Tris won't tell him what's up then he'll be damned if he doesn't annoy the details out of her.

"God, you're being so annoying!"

"Who's this God you're talking to?" Tobias smirks, his eyes glinting in the playful way that only Tris ever sees. Tris wishes others saw this side of him – he was so much kinder than they knew.

"Oh good, Dad jokes. We're set," Tris mumbles quietly.

"What? That makes no sense."

"Nothing," Tris smiles up at her husband. "Just shut up, or I'll tell Christina that we'll _gladly_ go on that double date she's been going on about.

"Fuck no."

Tris's laughter fills the air as Tobias pulls her into him, and they both lay there for a good while, watching old reruns of FRIENDS and talking about absolutely nothing.

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It's when Tris is hunched over the toilet the next morning that Tobias knows something is really up.

She had scared him when she walked into the kitchen and had just _looked_ and the cup of coffee Tobias was sipping on (he had only brewed one this time, because he was thoughtful like that) and turned white.

He can't really do much, though, as she groans against the porcelain, but he holds her hair back and rubs her back until she's done and sagging weakly against him on the bathroom floor.

Tobias is propped back against the wall now, with Tris leaning between his legs, her head lolled back in the gap between his head and shoulder. He puts his hand against her forehead and pulls it away when he doesn't feel any heat. Tris pulls it back up on her forehead, though, because where she felt shaky and clammy, Tobias's hand was cool against her skin.

"Okay, so no more co - ,"

"I swear to God, Tobias, if you say that word one more time I'll throw up all over _you_."

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Tobias doesn't exactly know what happened in the week leading up to Thanksgiving, but what he did know was that he was stressed to the max with work and complaints from his father, Tris was stressed because of all of the hours of work she had to put in, and Tris was still throwing up everything she ate and refusing coffee – even the word – left and right.

It's even worse one day when they both get back from work and start arguing – small things at first – why the dishes weren't done and why the closet was a mess. But then it's Tobias asking why Tris can't just tell him _what the hell was wrong_ and Tris mumbling back the same old 'nothing' that she always uses _._ She's lost weight, both of them can see that, and it doesn't help that every time Tobias even mentions her eating that she gets mad. She tells him that she feels awful all the time, having to force food down just to have it come back up. He tells her that she needs to _fucking take care of herself_ and she screams at him that she's _fucking trying._

The argument has no validity, and deep down they both know it, and yet it's the biggest one they'd had so far and it scares them both way too much. They both know that they're yelling at each other because they're just tired, but Tobias doesn't miss the way Tris stays up way past midnight just staring at the ceiling because he spends the night the same way, but on his side, staring at the wall.

The next morning they're both in the car, bright and early, on their two hour drive down to Tris's parent's house for Thanksgiving the next day. They pull over at a McDonald's twenty minutes into the drive because the small bit of cereal Tris had managed down that morning was just as unpleasant, if not more so, coming back up. She says she just has to use the bathroom, but they both know that's not true. Tobias is starving, but he knows the smell of food will just make Tris nauseous, so he just waits in the car and watches the autumn leaves swirl around them in the drizzling rain.

It's a silent drive after that, with the rain growing steadily heavier, and Tobias thinks Tris has fallen asleep until he hears small sniffles and looks across to see her tearstained face. His heart collapses in on itself then, and he pulls into a small stop before climbing into the backseat of the car and pulling Tris into him.

They stay like that for an hour, both tangled up in on each other, his fingers running almost rhythmically through her hair, as they catch up on the sleep they lost the night before and mend themselves back together.

When they reach the Prior household, they're back to their normal selves, Tobias cracking lame jokes just to get Tris to laugh, and Tris replying snarkily to whatever idiotic story her husband told her of him and Zeke. She talks about Zeke's baby girl – Ellie – gauging Tobias's reactions at everything she said.

Tobias pulls in behind Caleb's car, and his door his barely opened when they both see their little niece running towards them at full speed, totally disregarding the rain pouring down all around them.

Tris waves to her parents, Caleb, and Susan standing in the doorway, but her breath is taken by the sight in front of her as she watches Becca make a beeline towards Tobias. She knows she should be a little offended that Becca knew Tobias a bit less than she knew her, but it makes her smile madly to know that Tobias loved the little girl no less than she did.

Tobias crouches down just in time, his arms wide open, as Becca literally flings herself into him. He scoops her up and spins her before bringing her down in his arms and grinning up into her little face.

"Hi my little Becca bug. I missed you," Tobias whispers, grinning widely, as she plants a small kiss on his nose. He reciprocates, kissing every little inch of her face – her cheeks, her forehead, her nose. Tris knows she wasn't supposed to hear those words, that they were just for her niece, but she follows them into the house with the warmest feeling in her chest.

There are hugs all around – a clap on the back between the men, and Tris's mom fussing over how much taller Tobias had gotten even though they both knew Tobias hadn't grown an inch for years now.

"We're don't have cranberry sauce," the words come from little Becca, her "r's" pronounced as "w's" and her grammar so perfectly incorrect.

"I'll get some," Tris pipes up, and Tobias looks up in surprise from his discussion with Caleb as the two make eye contact. He's silently asking her if she's really up for that. She's silently, but lovingly, telling him to fuck off.

"I'd let Tobias go, but he looks way too enthralled by whatever Caleb's talking about," Tris whispers to her niece, knowing full well that Tobias actually _was_ very interested in Caleb's work because they were both the biggest nerds she knew.

"What's 'enthwalled' mean?"

"It means fascinated, baby." Tris leans down to see what Becca's drawing.

"What is that?"

Her niece looks up at her with a grin before pointing to her picture.

"That's Daddy and Mommy, and Grandma and Grandpa," she says pointing respectively at each person. "Then there's you and Unca Tobize," Tris laughs at her pronunciation of Tobias. "And that's me," she says proudly, pointing down at the little girl in the pink sweater.

Tris frowns.

"And who's that?" she asks, pointing at an even smaller girl standing next to Becca's drawing of herself.

"That's your baby. That's my cousin." Becca grins up at Tris and Tris flashes a small smile down at Becca, glancing up quickly to make sure Tobias hadn't heard that.

"Well it's a very pretty picture."

"Can I come with you to get the Cwanbewy sauce?"

Tris laughs, "Susan? Can I take her with me?"

"Of course! Drive safe."

The two of them take much longer than necessary picking up the sauce, and Becca insists that they buy a small pumpkin gourd leftover from Halloween because they were "just so pwetty."

It's also a split second decision that Tris makes when she pulls into the small coffee shop that they went to after Christmas dinner, the night Tobias proposed. She buys Becca a small hot chocolate, and grabs a bigger one for Tobias, her breath held almost the entire time. It wasn't coffee, but it was a peace offering, and the thought was what counted the most.

Becca's full of energy by the time they get back, and Tris makes Becca promise not to tell her Mommy that Tris gave her sugar. The cat's out of the bag, though, when Becca sprints into the house and nearly plows over everyone in her haste to show "Unca Tobize" her pumpkin gourd.

Tobias is still laughing at Caleb laying on the floor when Tris walks in, and Tris's mom is just finishing the last of Thanksgiving preparations for the next day and was about to start a quick dinner for tonight. Tobias give Becca a little pat on the head and politely excuses himself to the living room where Tris is sitting.

"Hey."

"Hey."

They both sit on the couch in the living room, Tris wringing her hands around the coffee cup while avoiding Tobias's eyes.

"Is that -,"

"No, no," Tris laughs, cutting Tobias off before he said the offending word. "Still can't stand the stuff."

"Oh."

They were both past the fight – both past the bickering and the stress – but Tobias could tell Tris was struggling to find the words to something and he didn't want to interrupt.

"I – I, uh," Tris bites her lip, staring off into every corner of the room to avoid his gaze.

"Tris?"

"I-I got you hot chocolate," Tris says, shoving the cup into Tobias hands. He takes it from her, grabbing a hold of one of her hands. She smiles at him and Tobias glances down at the cup out of instinct, not actually expecting to see any words. He smiles, though, when he sees Tris's scrawl across the front. The smile falls almost instantly, though, when he sees what those words actually are.

"Sorry, Daddy."

"Uh Tris, no offense, but this has to be the creepiest cup you've ever given me."

Tris glance down at the cup, fully registering what the words actually meant in all different types of contexts, and breaks down laughing for a good five minutes before she can get out a coherent word.

"Oh my God," she laughs, eyes watering and smile wide. "I didn't even think of it that way you sicko _. I'm_ not calling you that."

"Then who is?" Tobias laughs, his eyebrows furrowed in confusion. "I don't have some kid that I don't know about do I – oh, _oh_."

His eyes flash up to Tris in an instant and instead of the wide smile that had been plastered on his girl's face seconds earlier, all he sees is a nervous lip bite and a furrowed brow.

"Tris - ,"

"Dinner's ready!" Caleb's smiling face appears in the doorway and Tris bolts up. "I've interrupted something," Caleb says sheepishly, slowly backing out of the room.

Tobias stands up, setting the cup down on the coffee table.

"Tris, what is this?"

Tris is beyond scared at this point, because she never thought she'd actually have to say anything for Tobias to get the point. Then again, sometimes the men she was surrounded with weren't exactly the brightest all the time.

"I'm pregnant?" It comes out as more of a question than anything else, but it's all the conformation Tobias needs.

He stands there, stock-still, eyes wide and mouth slightly open.

A baby. _A baby?_

Thoughts of Marcus flood his body – the hatred he would always wake up to, the lashings and the emotional hurt, watching his mother be beaten down mentally and physically. He thinks about all the times he'd promised himself he'd never have children, just so he would never turn into Marcus – just so he'd never have to go through a reality where he could become the thing he feared most. He can't think, not now, not with Tris staring at him through her wide grey eyes, her lip caught firmly between her teeth.

But then it's all he can see. A little girl with Tris's eyes and pout. A little boy with her defiant nature and piercing glare. He can't unsee it now, and he certainly can't unwant everything he just realized he so desperately craved.

He wanted this, my God, he wanted this.

He can feel his eyes prickling, but he looks back into Tris's eyes with as much intensity as he was feeling.

"Tobias?"

A smile spreads across his face, so wide and so large that Tris thinks it's the biggest one she's ever seen from him. She feels a flutter in her chest as a tear falls from Tobias's eye, and he pulls her so tight against his chest that she can feel just how fast it's beating.

He pulls away from her gently.

"A baby?" His voice is so small, so innocent, that Tris feels like crying herself.

"Yeah. Yeah, a baby," she whispers.

Tobias crashes his lips to hers before pulling back and kissing every inch of her face. He pulls her back to him, his chin resting just atop her head, and rocks the two of them back and forth.

"God, I love you so much, Tris."

She laughs, "I love _you_."

Caleb's back in the doorway, along with the rest of the family, all of them wondering why the duo were taking so long.

All they see, though, is Tobias's broad back and Tris's body enveloped tightly in his embrace. Tobias is whispering something to her, something they can't really hear, but Tris can and that's all that really matters.

"So _this_ is why you didn't like the smell of coffee – unf," Tris wedges her fist firmly into Tobias's side.

"You're ruining the moment, idiot."

TO BE CONTINUED

 **Hi guys, so I'll continue this little part of the my "extended oneshot" in the next "chapter." I hope you enjoy and please please please please REVIEW MY FRIENDS. LOVE YOU ALL. YOU ARE AMAZING.**


	3. Chapter 3

**Hi friends! I would write more here but it's already 1:20 a.m. and I really should be writing some other essays or sleeping, but here it is! Thank you all for the reviews, I love every single one and I hope you enjoy this little glimpse into the lovable duo's life. PLEASE REVIEW LOVE YOU!**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own any characters or Divergent, but this story is from my own noggin.**

Tobias had never seen as many children as he had today.

It's weird, he thinks, that before Christmas all he saw on his walks home from work were weary-faced businessmen and homeless beggars staring up at him with pleading eyes (he always gave whatever money he could find on him – he knew only too well what it was like to go days without food). It's also strange how all he knew before the New Year was the straight path from the office to home, a coffee shop passing on his left and the ever growing Apple store looming in on his right.

But now all he can see is the rosy, cold cheeks of the little boy that accidently bumps into him on the sidewalk – all he hears are the chiming laughs echoing across the street from the park as children throw snow at each other, dancing in the beauties of winter.

And he can't help but smile when the pink nosed boy leaves a small hot chocolate stain on his jacket – can't help but stare across the street to the park, his eyes following the swirl of girls and boys chasing each other through the ice.

But it's a pounding heart and a small laugh that he can't help but let out when he walks into their apartment to find Tris completely passed out on the couch, shoes still tied firmly around her feet. Her face is pressed into the cushions and her hair falls in every direction and from his place by the door, Tobias can still see the set of keys clutched firmly in his wife's hand.

He doesn't fully understand how he and Tris mesh so well – where he had organization and tidiness literally beaten into him every day of his childhood, Tris was a whirlwind of chaos and disorder, with study note stuffed in between the pages of every book in the apartment and highlighters falling from the pockets of every pair of pants she owns.

Tobias doesn't understand it, but he sure as hell won't question it. He'd be a fool to.

He makes sure to lock the door before striding over to Tris, on edge ever since he saw two men in suits hanging around his office. He knows he's being paranoid, but he also knows that he has a knack for drawing trouble, and he'd be damned if he'd let that trouble follow him home to Tris.

He slowly unties her shoes and pries them off, biting back another laugh when he sees the reindeer socks that Becca had so graciously gifted Tris on Christmas. He doesn't know exactly what the words on the socks say, but by the way Caleb yelped when he saw them let him now that they weren't exactly for little eyes.

It's a good thing Becca can't read.

He tries to get the keys next, reaching over her body to grab them, but within seconds he feels something slapping into his chest and he looks down to see a small hand toying with the fabric of his shirt. Tris feels around for a bit, giving a squeeze to his right pec, before patting his chest gently and nodding her head.

He thinks she's awake, then, but she's always done weird things while sleeping so he's only about ten seconds into conversation when he realizes her small sighs are just her breathing, not listening. He can't get the key from out of her grasp and he doesn't want to try anymore in fear of waking her, so he just drags the comforter from their bedroom and throws it over her and calls it good.

It's only when he finishes cooking dinner that his sleeping beauty sits up from the couch, lines firmly imprinted on her cheek and hair in complete disarray. He smiles then, because it's her sleepy eyes that light up when she sees him standing in the kitchen – it's her warm body that she presses next to him when she comes to peek at what he's cooking.

Tris still has a bit of a problem with food, and even with Tobias only ever making what she can handle, it's still hard to get her to eat a solid meal.

And she knows he's trying – she knows how much effort he's putting into making her food that she will actually eat and avoiding the coffee maker every morning. She also knows that everything she consumes has a way of finding its way back up and she decides it's easier to just avoid food in the first place rather than meeting it twice.

But she stands next to him in the kitchen, blanket wrapped tightly around her small figure as Tobias tells her about the little boy who spilled coffee all over his jacket.

She doesn't miss the way his own eyes light up about something so trivial – doesn't miss the way they flicker down to her slightly rounded stomach. It's then Tobias's eyes really light up, because just yesterday his girl's torso had been straight and flat.

He's about to say something, but he swallows the words back up because, even though he didn't really know much about girls, he knew that commenting on the roundness of their stomachs was a big "no no." Tris sees his struggle, though, and laughs out loud as she pries his hand way from the spatula and places it firmly on her stomach.

Tobias doesn't exactly know what he feels just then, but he thinks it's bliss because he can't shake beam that has spread across his face. It's weird to think that just a few years ago he thought life was pointless – that nothing good came from it.

But now he's standing in a room filled to the brim with everything important and good and yes, he knows the food is burning, but he can't seem to pull away from his family.

 _His family._

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Tobias never understood the whole Groundhog Day concept, but he knows that winter is most definitely not over as he stands at the giant window in his office, watching swirls of snow coat the city in ice.

And, despite having a stark hatred for heights, he can't help but admire the city from way up high - there's a beauty in facing your fears, he's heard, and this one is quite literal.

He's soon snapped out of his thoughts, though, when he hears his door slam shut and looks up to see his own eyes staring up at him.

He hasn't been on terrible terms with his father lately (then again, not being punched was what Tobias normally considered not terrible terms), but he hasn't exactly been on good terms either. He hasn't told his father that Tris is expecting either, but it comes out soon enough after Marcus starts talking.

"Those two men that are always here, they're bad news."

Tobias bites back the "No shit" comment and just nods his head, turning back to the winter wonderland outside as he folds his arms tightly across his chest.

"No, Tobias, you don't understand."

He turns around again, but not because of Marcus's words. It's his tone of voice that makes him raise an eyebrow in question, because all he ever heard from Marcus was cruel and disappointed, but now all he heard was scared.

"Then explain."

Marcus tells him about the Greek Mafia – tells him about how his father had owed them a debt when they had lived in Greece and now that debt was placed on him. Tobias should have known something was up – Marcus had been in and out of the country – but he was too focused on actually enjoying his life for once that he just dismissed the fact.

"Then pay them the debt. Lord knows you have enough money." Tobias makes a faint gesture to the building they are standing in, and even though he wants to speak in the bitter and sarcastic way he is feeling, his voice comes out quiet and humble.

"Not that kind of money, Tobias," Marcus runs a hand through his hair, looking at his son for what Tobias can think of as the first time with concern. "We're working on it, but you need to know. I don't want you being blindsided, that's all."

Tobias must look confused, but Marcus's "just stay away from Night Clubs and don't go walking around the city at night," does nothing to ease Tobias's nerves.

"Don't tell Beatrice, though, the less that know the better."

Tobias's eyes harden, and it's a sharp and biting "Why," that pierces the air.

"You don't want her getting hurt, do you? Or yourself, for that matter." Tobias is still as clueless as ever and Marcus is halfway out the door before Tobias realizes he's speaking.

"She's pregnant, Dad."

Marcus stops dead in his tracks, and Tobias does too. He doesn't know if it's because of the sudden nature of his words or the fact that he just called his father "Dad" for the first time in years, but it's enough to get Marcus to turn around.

It's definitely concern in his eyes, Tobias thinks, as Marcus pat his upper arm gently – definitely worry he sees in the way Marcus consoles him for the first time in what he thinks is forever.

"We'll be okay, Tobias. Just be careful."

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He doesn't tell Tris and, sure, he feels guilty about it, but he'd rather have that than freak her out. She's a bit off, though, and Tobias can tell that even though she's gained weight in her midsection because of the baby, the rest of her has become slightly thinner.

He's thinking about that as he passes Annie at the front desk of Eaton Enterprise, and gives her a small wave, but it's soon out of his mind as he catches sight of the same two men standing off by the elevators staring right at him.

He takes the stairs, two at a time, and by the time he reaches his floor he's only slightly out of breath. He waves a quick hello to Zeke before closing himself in his office, phone in his hand to call Tris, when it starts ringing on its own.

It's T.C., one of the other residents at the hospital Tris works at, and for a second he smiles before he actually starts talking.

"Okay, man, don't freak out, but Tris passed out. She's - ,"

Tobias's heart nearly stops to the point where he doesn't hear the whole "dehydrated and low iron" part and he's scrambling around the office for his jacket.

"Four, did you hear me?"

"Yeah, yeah, what – no."

T.C. gets Tobias to chill for about two seconds as Tobias makes his way into the elevator, but soon enough he's asking question after question and too preoccupied to realize one of the men from the lobby was standing right next to him.

Tobias doesn't have time to hail a taxi, and he sure as hell has no time to walk, so he snags the keys to a company car and hangs up the phone on a jabbering T.C. before joining the joys of city traffic.

He hears Tris before he sees her, and it's a small ball of fury and annoyance he sees yelling at T.C. when he turns the corner and stands in the doorway to her room. She's trying her hardest to stand up, and T.C.'s trying his hardest to keep her still and I.V. intact as "you fucker, why the fuck did you fucking call him, he's gonna freak the fuck out" is yelled over and over again.

Tobias is still worried, but the sight of Tris being, well, Tris has him sagging against the wall in relief as he offers a "you might want to mix up your word choice there, love. Maybe an occasional 'shit' or 'asshole' will do" to a now red faced Tris.

T.C. takes this as the time to slowly back out of the room, and Tris takes this as the time to look slightly guilty.

They both are reminded a little too harshly of the fight they had not too long ago that left them both lying awake all night, so Tobias forgoes the frown and the "you need to take care of yourself, Tris," as he sits down next to her on the bed and pulls her close to his chest.

She's still in her scrubs, and he's still in his suit, and they both have so much more to be doing than laying in a hospital bed at 9 A.M. but they do anyway until one of attendings comes in and tells Tris to take the rest of the day off. It's a rare occasion – so rare that Tris just sort of sits there staring at the door for a few minutes – but Tobias has already texted Zeke to tell him he wasn't coming in and he thinks it should be a good day.

Tris eats some soup as Tobias changes into sweats and while Tris had talked about marathoning movies all day and eating ice cream, they both manage to pass out on the coach around two in the afternoon in a mess of tangled limbs.

Tobias wakes up a little after five. The sky is already dark and the T.V. is still on, but he stays completely still because Tris is still pressed up right against him, warm and still and completely knocked out. He moves his hand from her hip to her stomach and smiles against her hair as her own hand subconsciously falls on top of his.

They stay like that for another two hours and Tobias starts to slowly drift off again when he feels Tris move against him – when he hears her murmur and twist, her face scrunched up.

He knows her well enough to know she's having a nightmare – knows that the pregnancy is what is causing the multitude of them, but as he tries to wake her she jolts up with a yelp, the top of her head colliding with the bottom of his chin. She turns quickly and the unshed tears in her eyes slowly disappear as they take in Tobias playful frown and soon enough full-fledged laughs are tearing through her body.

Tobias knows that they should probably both eat, but he's not hungry and she definitely isn't, so he scoops her up and throws her into the bed, deeming it late enough for bed time.

Tris has different ideas, though, and as they lay in a tangled and panting heap on the bed, Tobias can't really complain.

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They're both back at work soon enough, the small bruise under Tobias's chin looking more like a hickey than anything else, and weeks go by as the snow starts to melt. The air gets warmer as April comes and goes, but it's Chicago, after all, and the winds spiral around outside more than ever.

It's while she's out planning Shauna's surprise party with Zeke and Tobias that she first feels the baby move, and she's scared to death that something's wrong. Tobias doesn't really know anything about it, at this point, because he's also a first time parent and when everything is actually perfectly fine, the two of them seem to be very good at believing that it's not.

Tobias is in the snack isle, grabbing chips and whatnot with Zeke's daughter propped on his hip, and it's Zeke and Tris staring at the cakes when he hears Tris gasp. Zeke's a bit scared at first, with the way Tris places a hand on her stomach, and his heartbeat quickens as she starts stuttering about how things always go wrong and it's a "what's wrong" that he says before stepping closer to Tris.

Zeke is rarely ever serious, but his heart nearly breaks when Tris looks at him with tears mumbling about flutters and how she's always unlucky but soon enough he's cracking a smile wider than ever. Tris is a bit shocked at the blinding white teeth she sees, but Zeke just pulls her into a tight hug and laughs out a "it's the baby, moving, Trissybug. Shauna described it the exact same way."

He pulls back and pinches her nose playfully as she lets out a small laugh, wiping the tears from her eyes, but he slings an arm around her shoulders and starts telling her about the time when he got Tobias to change Ellie's diaper for the first time and soon she's filled with laughter.

But it's at Zeke's birthday party in the middle of May that Tris first feels the baby kick. She's standing in the kitchen with Christina and Shauna, staring down the plate of crackers sitting across from her (she's finally got her appetite back, and it's ferocious) as Tobias laughs loudly at whatever Zeke is saying, when she feels him (Tobias thinks it's a girl, she knows it's a boy) give a swift kick to her stomach.

She's so surprised that she drops the glass of water she's holding, and it falls to the ground and shatters loudly. Tobias glances up at her from his spot on the couch, and he's next to her within seconds when he sees her expression.

"Tris, love, what is it?" His eyebrows are furrowed and his voice is flustered and Tris's eyes are a bit teary so he automatically assumes the worst but then she's smiling so brightly that it's blinding and he tilts his head slightly to the side like a confused puppy.

She laughs a little and shakes her head and pulls his hand against her stomach and she's whispering a quiet "wait a second" but he's having a bit of a hard time being patient so his "what's wrong, Tris" comes out a little too quickly but then he _feels it_.

"Is that – ,"

Another kick.

"Keep talking, he likes your voice."

"Tris, what - ,"

And another one. Tobias is the one with the slightly teary eyes now because, yeah sure, he knew they were having a baby, he's seen Tris and her growing stomach every day now for the past few months but now he feels his baby kicking at it's all so real and so surreal at the same time.

He's laughing now, trying not to cry because he really isn't one to show emotions, but it's Tris's eyes that are staring at him so intently he can't help but pull her in close and kiss her long and hard.

Shauna and Christina have already left the room, not ones to pry on moments as intimate as this.

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Tobias jolts awake when he hears a bang from the kitchen, but he's out of bed in two seconds when he realizes Tris isn't next to him.

He runs into the nightstand on his way to the door and a slew of curse words spill from his mouth as he steps out into the living room.

The lights are all off, but he sees someone moving around in the kitchen. It's Tris, he knows that instinctively, but he's tired and groggy and hasn't slept soundly in the past three days because of Marcus's problem with the men, so when he starts talking it's not in any language that Tris understands.

She jumps, not because of the words but because of the fact that Tobias caught her. Her surprise turns to laughter in seconds, though, because she realizes that the unintelligible murmurs coming from her husband are actually Greek. She knows that Marcus is Greek – knows that Tobias is too, or at least half. She knows that Tobias even lived there for a while as a child. It's because of that that she's slightly annoyed at herself for not knowing this small detail about her husband.

Tobias is staring at her, obviously waiting for an answer of some sort, but her "I never knew you spoke Greek" is met with a confused Tobias before he shakes of the sleep and actually speaks in English.

"S'my first language," he manages to drawl out before letting out a huge yawn. "I haven't actually spoken it in years, though." He lets out a small laugh before turning back to Tris, remembering why he was up at this ungodly hour in the first place.

"What are you doing?" His question is slow and sly, but Tris's quick "nothing" has him raising his eyebrow at her. He realizes then that she has a jacket on and he rolls his eyes.

"You, my darling, are _not_ going out right now." He says it sweetly and sarcastically as he rounds the counter top to reach his wife. He says it playfully, but he means in sincerely, knowing there was no way in hell Tris was going out in the middle of Chicago this late at night. Especially with the possibility of Marcus's "friends" out there.

Tris steps back, though, as she dodges her husband's grasp.

"Well, my darling," Tris says, her face growing slightly red as her stomach growls, "I am hungry."

He snorts and Tris looks offended and Tobias is all too familiar with the random emotions Tris has no control over that he quickly wipes the smirk off of his face and clears his throat, biting the insides of his cheeks to keep from smiling.

"And what do you want to eat."

"I'm not telling you."

"Why."

"I'll get it myself, it's fine."

"No, I'll go get it, you go back to bed."

"No."

"God, Tris, you are so stubborn," Tobias is smiling now, but it drops when Tris makes a dart for the door.

He stops her, of course, because Tris isn't really trying to beat him and she's also seven months pregnant and Tobias has the build and stamina of a professional athlete so there really isn't any competition, but he still gets a kick out of her small growl and angry frown.

"I'll go get my own food, Tobias."

"Tris - ,"

"No, Tobias, I'm serious."

"Well hi serious, I'm Tobias."

Tris really wishes she had every coffee cup she'd ever written a rude name on just to throw them all at her husband, but she just turns and moves closer to the door.

"Alright, alright, love, I'm sorry. I just don't want you going out there right now okay, go to bed and I'll go get it," Tobias's voice has dropped the joking tone.

"I've been out in the city later than this you know. Completely shitfaced, might I add."

"Yeah, but you're pregnant now."

"No, you're pregnant."

"Tris, that doesn't work - ,"

"Yeah, yeah, I know."

Tris bites her lip debating this and that, but they both know that Tobias is the one going out so he grabs his jacket and wallet leans against the doorframe waiting for Tris's order.

The little old lady at the twenty four hour grocery store doesn't bat an eye at his odd combination of Cherry Garcia ice cream, Tabasco, and grapes, but she does ask him how many months his girl is and he can't help his smile when he offers a quiet "7."

Tris is fast asleep when he gets back, and he smiles to himself as he throws the ice cream in the freezer, pulling Tris into him as he slips back beneath the covers.

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With all the happy going on in his life, Tobias should have known that something was bound to happen. Marcus and him had been talking together all morning. It's weird, he thinks, that crisis and panic had brought them to a better level of understanding than anything else had.

They're still a bit rocky – Tobias won't ever forget all the years he spent praying and crying for a way out. But he doesn't feel it necessary to bring that up when he feels happy with his life now. He thinks burying it will be alright for now, never mind the disaster that might strike when he decides to face it.

Marcus tells him he'll be going to Greece soon. Tobias is one part relieved one part on edge. He can stand Marcus now, but space between the two of them wouldn't be awful. On the other hand, with him gone, Tobias would be in charge and that really wasn't a position he wanted to be in with Tris eight months pregnant.

It's because of this that he's a bit unfocused on his walk home. He was at the office later than normal – it was about nine at night already – and his phone had been pressed to his ear for about half of the walk before he realized that the same pair of footsteps had been behind him for the past couple of blocks. He waits a few seconds before turning a corner, and sure enough the man behind takes the same turn.

Tobias sighs, more annoyed than scared at the current situation. But when he looks up, it's the other man walking towards him and Tobias knows that even though he's a decent fighter, he's royally fucked. He manages a few punches, but they manage a few more, and Tobias can barely see straight by the time headlights appear down the alley.

He's thinking he's definitely fucked but then he hears the sirens and can only manage a small smile before completely passing out.

When he wakes up he's alone in a hospital bed, but there's a police man outside his door. Tobias's head is pounding, and a few ribs are definitely broken, but it's nothing he really hasn't felt before. The cops ask him a few questions – the guys had gotten away – and because of the shadiness of the situation and Marcus's role in it, he lies and tells him he was mugged.

Tobias is thankful as hell that he's not in the hospital that Tris works at, because everyone in that hospital knew him and Tris would have been there worrying within seconds. He wants to deny the ride home in the police car, but he can't really walk – doesn't really want to either.

Tris is a mess when she sees him, and he thinks she's overreacting until he sees himself in the mirror with dried blood down his white dress shirt and it caked on his face and he pulls Tris close to him and mutters a quiet, "It's alright, love, I've had worse."

That only makes Tris cry harder and Tobias wants to hit himself on the head for saying that but he thinks that one more to the brain wouldn't be very good. Tris cleans him up better than the hospital does, redoing his stitches on his face (he definitely had the most brilliant doctor as a wife) and he takes the pain killers Tris gives him, more so to appease her than himself. He tells her everything then, because it's stupid not to and says a silent "fuck you" to Marcus and the bastards who made his head ring.

Tris falls into a restless sleep, but Tobias is wide awake when she wakes up screaming, and he pulls her against him and strokes her hair as she sobs and sobs into his chest, fingers grasping his shirt so tightly and desperately. He wants to say it's because of the baby that Tris is acting like this, but they both know that it's not true and as Tris's sobs slowly turn into short, uneven breaths, he knows none of them are getting any sleep that night.

So he talks, about everything and nothing, and she listens, because if they were ever good at anything, it was healing.

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Tris's parent are in town, helping the two of them finish getting everything ready for the baby, and while Tobias absolutely loved Natalie and Andrew, there was only so much baby talk he could take before his head started to spin. He was fine now, only a scar left as a wound of war. Natalie asked about it, but he deflected the question. Andrew asked later, and Tobias gave a synopsis of it, enough for him to know, but not enough for the whole story.

He's finalizing a deal with another firm when his phone starts ringing, and he apologizes quickly before picking up the phone. It's Natalie, and Tris is in labor, and "yes Tobias, I know she's two weeks early, everything's gonna be okay, just get here okay," and it's a wide eyed Tobias standing in the middle of a full conference room.

"Mr. Eaton?"

"I, uh, I have to go," Tobias slowly slips his phone into his back pocket.

"Mr. Eaton, you can't leave until we- ,"

"No offense, Ms. Matthews, but I don't really care. I have to go. My wife is in labor."

Tobias smiles as he walks out, mostly because he's going to be a dad, but also because he really didn't like that Jeanine woman and, in the business world, he basically just very nicely told her to fuck off.

Tris is absolutely petrified. She knows everything about what is going to happen – she's a doctor for fucks sake – but she can't help her hands from shaking as she lays in the hospital bed as another contraction rips through her body, her mom right next to her holding her hand tightly.

Her cries slowly turn into shallow breathing as it passes, but tears roll out of her eyes. She's more scared than she is in pain, and even though her mother always scared away the monsters under her bed, she only really wants Tobias right now. More than anything.

"Mom, Mommy," Tris squeezes her eyes shut as another one hits, and her whimpers increase as her body writhes with pain. "Tobias. Where's Tobias? I want him. Mama, I want – I need - ,"

"I know baby, I know. He's coming." Her voice is soothing as she pulls Tris's hair out of her face.

Tris just keeps her eyes shut as she breathes, a yelp leaving her lips as the next contraction comes through even stronger.

"Tris - ,"

"Tobias!" Natalie smiles before motioning him over. She gives him a quick hug and then pecks Tris on the forehead and suddenly, Tris is feeling a lot more selfish.

"No, Mama, stay."

"Only one in the room, baby."

"I can step out - ,"

"No!" Both Tris and Natalie say, one desperately and one laughingly.

Natalie stares at Tris for a second before smiling proudly at the two of them

"Trust me baby, you don't need me. You got this. Tobias is here, okay. You're okay."

Tris nods and turns to Tobias, and Natalie can't help but smile as she watches Tris grab at Tobias's hand when her next contraction hits – can't help but tear up a bit at the way she curls into him as he bows his face next to hers so their foreheads touch and says something that makes Tris laugh and cry out all at once. He's still talking, but only Tris can really hear him, and that's all that matters.

Tris has been pushing for what seems like hours now, and it's Tobias rooting her along with sweet nothings and small kisses and he's pretty sure she's broken two of his fingers but he's also pretty sure that she's never looked more beautiful than she does now.

"Tobias I can't, I can't - ,"

"Come on love, just one more."

"It hurts," she whimpers, and it breaks his heart right down the middle. He doesn't know why the hell she refused the drugs – if he were in her position he'd be high as hell right now – but she did and he can't help but admire her for it.

"I know, baby, just one more."

Tobias doesn't really know what happens after that – it's all a blur – but soon enough he's holding his baby girl in his hands and he thinks she has Tris's nose but he can't really see because his eyes are clouded with tears. He hands her to Tris and they both just stare and stare and stare and her.

"You were right," Tris whispers with a soft smile. "A girl."

Tobias really can't say anything because he thinks that if he opens his mouth he'll cry and that'll really do a number on his masculinity. But when she opens her eyes it's like staring into a mirror and that's when Tobias really understands that she is _his_ and he can't stop the tears then – he doesn't want to.

Tris watches her husband and daughter stare at each other, and her own eyes start tearing up when her finger is suddenly grasped by a small hand. Tobias kisses her on the forehead before pulling Tris in for a kiss, and it's wet and sloppy because they both are crying.

"Let's name her coffee," Tobias's voice is gravely and scratchy and so full of love and laughter and he can't even get out the sentence before Tris is giggling loudly at his wide grin. She shakes her head and looks back down at her girl, _her_ baby girl before replying softly to her moron of a husband.

"You're ruining the moment, idiot."

 **Hi guys! Long time no see** **! I know that there are probably a lot of typos but I'll be going through that later and fixing it. I just wanted to get this posted. I'll let you guys name baby Eaton, but if you have any good ones let me know! Again, thank you all so very much for all the support and love, I LOVE YOU SO MUCH! I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas and New Year! Please review my friends, love ya!**


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